晋升中的种族差距

中文摘要

我们以晋升按公式化规则进行的美国专利局为研究场景，考察晋升中的种族差异。利用能够识别何人在何时具备晋升资格的详细行政数据，我们发现，黑人专利审查员本应获得的晋升受到延迟，导致他们到达职业阶梯顶端的时间推迟一年，职业生涯收入减少2.5%。制度特征排除了基于准确先验信念的统计性歧视这一解释。即使在黑人主管手下，晋升仍然缓慢，这一现象不支持基于偏好的敌意这一解释。相反，这些模式符合基于信念的歧视模型。

Abstract

We study racial disparities in promotions in a setting in which promotions are formulaic: the US patent office. Using detailed administrative data that allow us to observe who is eligible for promotion when, we document that Black patent examiners experience delays in promotions they are entitled to, slowing their climb to the top of the career ladder by a year and reducing career earnings by 2.5 percent. Institutional features rule out statistical discrimination with accurate priors. Slow promotions even under Black supervisors argue against taste-based animus. Instead, the patterns fit models of belief-based discrimination. (JEL J15, J41, J71, M12, M51, O34)